A silent smile lingered on Exrite’s face. Slowly, she brought the small cube of tender meat into her mouth and chewed it diligently. She savoured the taste as if it were her last meal.

“How does that one taste?” Lizen asked from beside as she offered another piece.

“It’s delicious. One’s enough, thanks.” Exrite politely declined, her eyes shifting onto Inkshard who also opted to help make dinner.

Earlier, Talia suggested that they should at least make the Heroes’ parting memorable. There was a discussion between playing games by Frosty and Talia’s opinion on serving delicious food. It was a rather comforting topic, and when they asked Exrite for her input, she simply said:

“Cooking takes a bit, so maybe we can fill the quite time with some games.”

They seemed to agree with her, particularly Inkshard.

Exrite chuckled to herself at the faint recount, watching the energetic Inkshard pour her soul into preparing the ingredients for their feast.

“My, aren’t you going a bit too fast?” Talia asked, her voice competing with a running sink.

Inkshard only responded with a childish smile as her knifework seemingly sped up. While they remained in the pale kitchen, the others patiently played a game of their own in the connected lounge.

Beneath the glistening orb of light, a simple board game was set up. A vibrant map containing many illustrations of mountains and hills littered a vast plain where tiny figurines remained stationed in certain places.

This was a gift from Acacia to Frosty, who requested some sort of board game. Regarding the incident with the limeite, she couldn’t find any reason to refuse the woman’s request – and so, she gave her the best one she could find alongside their gear, which was stored within their bedrooms.

They’ve been seated for a while now, fully immersed in the strategic game. It was like chess – only on a much grander scale and allowed up to ten people to participate at once. However, the game of conquest could go on for days as a result.

With sundown being in less than two hours, they didn’t want to drag their games on. So, they turned it into a one-on-one wargame. Currently, it was Amy against the unstoppable Frosty, who had crushed Khaos and Lizen earlier. Haiyato suffered an embarrassing defeat from Amy last round simply because he underestimated the power of electrical magic against full metal armour.

As someone with knowledge from Earth, Amy was frighteningly sophisticated with how things worked and used it to her advantage. However, what she lacked was any form of overall strategy, which was something Frosty seemed to excel at.

Exrite would occasionally peer at them from over the counter as she sliced various vegetables and meat. As much as she’d love to participate with them, she felt like she’d take it too seriously. And so, she helped out with the cooking in order to avoid straining herself for what was only a game.

“Exrite! You’re going to chop your fingers off!” Lizen suddenly yelled from aside, causing her to blankly blink as she held a dumbfounded face. “You’re cutting too fast and you’re not holding the vegetable or the knife right.”

Lizen brought her board beside Exrite and demonstrated the normal and safe method of chopping with a knife. First, she held out a clawed hand and sat it above an already sliced potato.

“Watch closely – you don’t use the tip of your fingers to guide the knife. Use the knuckle just before.” She made a few clean cuts into the potato, then held out the knife in front of her. “Then – you hold it firmly but not too firmly, like you’re trying to murder someone.”

Exrite couldn’t help but to chuckle as she compared her own grip with Lizen’s. Indeed, she held the knife like she was about to duel with the half-chopped carrot underneath.

It had been a while since the last time she properly tried to cook something. She didn’t get any chance in her childhood, let alone during her decade of solitude. The only time she did try, was during her four-month travel to Colight, where they’d toss meat and strange plants into a boiling pot.

But thanks to that and her immortality, Exrite managed to build some sort of resistance to poison and drugs.

She recalled one instance where she held a conversation with a pear tree.

“Sorry, this is my first time properly doing this. Thanks for the tip.” Exrite smiled.

Lizen quietly sighed and looked into the eyes of the slightly taller woman with a peculiar face.

“Don’t worry about it. Just go slower. I’m scared you might actually chop a finger off.”

The pile of diced carrot bits and cubed meat suddenly caught her attention. The way Exrite cut wasn’t practical, but she worked faster than Inkshard and cut just as precisely. Her knifework was like that of an experienced butcher, and she wondered if Exrite had any prior experience with using a knife.

And so, she asked.

“Have you cut animal carcasses before?”

Exrite’s smile dampened slightly. She met with her gaze in the reflection of the sharpened blade.

“Yeah. Plenty of times.” Her voice was slightly sombre. She wanted to add another thing but hesitated the moment she recognised the disturbing nature of its contents.

Keeping it dearly to herself, she was unaware of Talia’s fixated eyes.

“Isn’t that cheating? You can’t just kill so many units in one turn.” Amy’s voice roused Exrite to peer over at the table once again.

“Huh? Isn’t that expected when you clump your soldiers altogether like that?” Frosty sharply replied. “They don’t even have shields or mages to protect them from arrows.”

“From that far? That’s unfair!”

“Did you even listen to Frosty when she read the rules? Garrisoned units and elevation means greater range and damage. You can’t blame anyone else for charging straight for the castle thinking you can smack the walls down with swords.” Haiyoto criticised as he laughed.

“Grr. What about individuals? Can’t some of them attack from this range?”

“That’s not in the rules.” Haiyoto could already see the writing on the wall.

“War isn’t about rules.” Amy retorted, sparking a smile from Uru.

“Then tell us about individuals. Do you honestly think kings perceive their men as individuals and gauge every single one of their strengths? In a game of war, understand that all of your soldiers are expendable pawns. There’s no point in expecting anything more. Heroes are never born from the battlefield – there are only survivors, destined to die elsewhere.”

Uru’s mysterious words seemed to hit Haiyoto harder than anyone else. Amy reluctantly gave up from the match and shifted closer to the pondering boy. When her shoulders smashed with his, he inadvertently let out a quiet growl.

“Can you not.”

“Sorry, sorry. It’s just that – even in a game I can’t get my mind off this whole war thing. It sounds like we’re in a losing fight against that kingdom.” She spoke with surprising sincerity.

The future was bleak, and even in a game of war she couldn’t do anything. They were still far too weak as they were to even contribute to the likely war ahead. In the worst case – she’d freeze again.

Like Haiyoto, her morals were derived from Earth, where peace thrived, and wars were but a thing of the past. Killing another person, no matter who they were, was a stigma.

“But that’s when real individuals step in.” Khaos announced, garnering everyone’s attention. “Did you forget that we’re also mixed into this? You have me, Frosty, Exrite and even Uru to protect this place.” He held a clenched fist in front of his confident grin.

“We wouldn’t abandon our friends. Not the people who gave us so much.” Frosty warmly smiled as she watched Talia and Inkshard carry on with their cooking.

Uru’s eyes slightly narrowed to their profound optimism. A light hum left her lips as Exrite’s voice spoke from the kitchen.

“Don’t forget about Black and White.”

“… those two are doing their own things. I heard they went all the way to the Cryo region once for no reason at all.” Inkshard scornfully spoke. “In times like these, we can’t afford to have them so far away.”

Talia wondered about that. The Commanders certainly ventured out on their own accord, but the damage they continually inflicted across Di-Lock was second to none. Rumours had recently emerged about the duo utilising captured slaves as a new main force, as opposed to the knights of Pathfist.

She saw them as a necessary evil to befriend against the overwhelming forces of Di-Lock. With every town they raze, the better the chance they had in surviving this war.

“But how can they kill so many innocent people and not feel a silver of guilt?” Inkshard uttered as she clenched her teeth.

Black and White were merciless in nature. They worked like weapons, designed for only one purpose – to kill. No one was spared in their path. More than anything, they posed a bigger threat than Di-Lock itself.

“Hey, at least we aren’t their enemy.” Exrite hummed. “But honestly, if they’ve been running rampant on the same airship, then what the hell is Di-Lock doing?”

“Eh? What are you talking about?” Inkshard asked as Frosty began cleaning the table.

A small frown formed on Exrite’s face as she turned to the priestess.

“I might be overthinking things, but why would they declare war without getting rid of the airship first? It’s like they’re feeding them bodies, and with the war, it’ll only increase. It makes no sense.”

“That’s something we’re also trying to figure out.” Talia suddenly stated. “We suspect that it’s a famine, and Di-Lock are throwing out their weakest men to preserve resources. But we have no proof. The envoy has all the answers, and all we can do now is wait and see.”

It was a believable explanation – only if it weren’t such a massive kingdom. Surely, they had many farmlands and cultivations to feed their people. But she wondered if Black and White had strategically targeted these farmlands to starve them off.

While she detested such cruelty, she didn’t necessarily hate them for it. In fact, she thought it was ingenious. It would be yet another advantage they had in the upcoming war – the recourses to keep their side revitalised.

A wry smile formed on her face. As she tilted her head slightly to the thought, Talia had a quick taste of the soup.

“Exrite, can you please bring the chopped carrots and potatoes?” She asked.

“No problem.”

* * *

Exrite lingered around the kitchen with Talia and Uru, while the others remained seated on the couches. They were tasked with overlooking the different stoves, just in case they start to burn. Unlike the stoves in Enthile, these seemed to work on electricity rather than gas.

When she asked Talia how it worked, she only replied with “You’ll have to ask the Otherworlder who designed this.”

It was an odd concept, since it didn’t seem like it was grounded in magic, but rather in logic or what Haiyoto called physics. So, she had him explain it to her, and he mentioned that electricity could transform into heat.

It was baffling. While to the Otherworlders it was common sense, to her it was mindboggling.

Beneath her breath, she uttered “Amazing.” and stared at the stove with gentle eyes.

While the others sat around and played another game, Exrite engaged in various conversations with the two. They leaned against the centre counter and oversaw the smiles and laughter of their friends.

“My, she has a lot to learn.” Talia watched her daughter make a grimace at the arguing Lizen and Amy. “My daughter must’ve made it difficult for you in the Chapel.”

“She really did. We argued a bit when we first met. She was just as clueless to the moving altar as we were.” Exrite laughed at the memory. “I can’t believe it’s only been six days since we first arrived.”

“Since you’ve become the Exrenity?” Uru asked, her tall shoulder nudging Exrite’s face.

“Minus one.” She winced. “But it feels like it was just yesterday.

Suddenly staring down at her hands, she smiled and whispered:

“… say… thanks for reassuring us, Talia.”

“Hmm? I was only doing what I needed to as the priestess.”

“Still – thank you.” Exrite’s eyes softened. “We would’ve been lost without you and Inkshard.”

Baring her glistening teeth in a bright smile, she said it once more.

“Thank you- ”

“Exrite, you’ve said it enough times.” Uru wrapped an arm around Exrite’s neck as she gently cupped her mouth. She sighed. “If you’re going to build your connection of friends, at least know what their motives are.”

Uru spread her cupped fingers across the Maiden’s face and held her taut.

“Else – you may be betrayed.” She whispered the bittersweet words into her ear.

But Exrite remained unfazed.

“Mu mouldn’t mml mme mths mmf mmt mms mu mmse.”

Translated from her muffled words, she said: “You wouldn’t tell me this if that was the case.”

Uru perfectly understood her. After all, it wasn’t the first time she had gagged someone. She chuckled at Exrite’s naivety and foolishness, hoping to spark a reaction from her.

But she was only met with kind eyes. Because she knew – Uru was looking out for her. With her own betrayal in the past, she was afraid of it happening again. She saw herself in Exrite, for her growing group was similar to hers when she first stared off in Demora.

“Then what are your motives, Uru?” Talia nonchalantly asked as she stared at the dark woman with gentle eyes.

“Vengeance. I seek to return to Demora to kill my frie- my betrayers.” She slipped part of the word and sighed. “I had a following, just like this. While I won’t tell you who I was; I certainly had many friends and enemies. I was naïve to put my faith in them. Their comforting words were sweet at the time, but now when I remember them – I can’t feel anything but insulting contempt.” Her voice grew ragged towards the end, her free hand sliding onto Exrite’s clothed stomach.

Slowly, the soothing ticks brought her back.

“You’re lucky to have Khaos, and especially Frosty. There’s no doubt that they’ll be your sword and shield – but beware that maybe you’ll end up hurting them.”

Exrite didn’t respond. In the event of the Eye of Despair taking over, she wondered what would happen. Would she betray her friends, just like the old Exrenity did to Uru? It was frightening, but it only gave her another reason to keep striving for a better tomorrow.

Upon seeing the unwavering flames in the jewelled eyes of the Maiden, Uru smiled, defeated by Exrite’s spirit.

“Fool. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She shallowly dug a finger into the girl’s stomach. “How about you, priestess Talia? Is there something you’re striving for?”

The woman shook her head and smiled. “No, I’m just like every citizen in this kingdom. I only want a calm, happy life.”

“Only?”

“And good food.”

Exrite let out a weird, muffled laugh. She tried to pry the hand away from her mouth, but Uru strangely wouldn’t give in. In the end, gave up and silently listened to them.

“Oh? What kind of food?”

“Anything the Otherworlders make. My, have you not tried any of their cooking? There are plenty of good stalls around.”

“Maybe we should. But food isn’t something necessary for a succubus like myself.” She sunk yet another finger into Exrite’s stomach, causing her to lightly groan. “Lust, desires, sex – I devour the vitality of my willing and unwilling victims. But rest assured; I have enough energy stockpiled to keep me going for a while.”

Uru’s tantalising voice sparked a hum from Talia. There was no telling whether the demon could be wholeheartedly trusted. But from what she’s heard, it didn’t seem like Truebirth was her target.

“Fear not, priestess. I won’t do anything that’ll tarnish the birthlands of the Maiden.”

“I’m putting faith into you, but beware that Exrite will take the full brunt of the blame if anything happens.” Talia quietly warned.

“Of course.” Uru stared down at Exrite and slid her sunken fingers up to her chin seductively.

With a sudden jolt, the girl pried a section of Uru’s clamped hand and revealed an annoyed face.

“Stick to my face and neck, Uru. You’ll give me the wrong idea if you keep touching me like that.” She growled with clenched teeth.

Her reaction was entirely instinctual. The sudden resurgence of a memory inadvertently caused her to become wary of Uru in that moment. Exrite realised that she had a terrible habit of being too touchy with her.

And if she didn’t make it clear now, then it’d likely snowball into something worse later on.

“Even though this is how we greet in Demora? We’re beings of carnal desires. Feeling every bit of our companions is natural to us.” Uru hummed.

Exrite blankly blinked in confusion.

“Eh?”

Is seemed like she misunderstood something. Talia noticed the sudden change of behaviour and wondered if the Eye was in the middle of a manifestation. But that was cleared as soon as Exrite spoke again.

“Carnal desires? I don’t mean lust. It just feels like you’re dissecting me.” She confessed, a hand sliding across her stomach as she lightly squirmed. “You can touch me however you want – but don’t dig your fingers into me. It felt like you dragged a knife across my body.”

The irritation in her voice didn’t go unnoticed. Even the others who sat in the lounge heard her growls. But they luckily didn’t hear the contents.

“Sorry, Uru. I probably should’ve said something earlier.”

“My, there’s no need to apologise.” Talia assured her as Exrite slowly settled.

“If it’s only a matter of not embedding my fingers into you flesh – then that’s fine. Your ticking is rather predominant even with a gentle press.” Uru carefully slid her other hand across Exrite’s neck and devoured the blissful ticking.

Exrite smiled to her response and gladly stared at the concerned faces in the lounge. If she apologised again, Talia would surely scold her. A chuckle left her as Talia pondered on a dangerous thought.

The clues she gathered concerning Exrite’s past formed a rough picture – one she hoped was only speculation. There was no concrete answer, and Exrite had made attempts to omit anything about the past due to the sensitivity of the Eye of Despair.

Exrite was actively supressing it, and she feared that she would one day self-destruct. For the wellbeing of their Exrenity and Exrite herself – she vowed to get the truth out of her.

* * *

The feast was served fresh from the stovetops. The cluttered table had barely enough room for everyone, but it didn’t detract from the experience. Many comforting smiles and chatter filled the table as they ate, including Uru who found herself impressed by the food.

Even though they had roughly thirty minutes before they’d be picked up by Kalis, they savoured the moment along with Inkshard. She would make surprising jokes from time to time, instilling the fact that before she was a priestess – she was a girl in her young teens.

Khaos munched on whatever he could get his hands on. The tall man’s insatiable appetite rivalled Amy’s and they’d occasionally compete with each other. Exrite was just glad that she could eat something delicious for a change. It was a blessing, one that she savoured like everyone else.

It was a shame that she easily became full due to her smaller physique. Compared to her normal body, she barely reached neck-height. The thought lingered with her as she smiled and took small sips from a chilled beverage.

And soon, as most of the food disappeared into their stomachs, a familiar figure appeared from the hallway. Clad in pale armour, the towering man grinned as he saw the many faces surrounding the table.

“Good evening, priestesses and the companions of the Exrenity.” He began before directing his eyes onto the Heroes. “Haiyoto, Airu, Amy – our caravan’s ready. The trip will take three days with the chameleons, so please say your goodbyes for now.”

Haiyoto didn’t waste any time and lifted himself from the couch with closed eyes.

“I guess it’s time. See you guys around!” His enthusiastic voice echoed in the room as Amy joined him.

“Yeah! We’ll be back before you know it! And we’ll be twice as strong when we’re back!” She bared her teeth in a vibrant smile, causing Inkshard to softly sigh.

Their free spirit pierced through her heart and put her worries to rest. If it was them, they’d surely return without a hitch. Plus – Kalis of all people would be with them.

“Airu, you’re not going to come?”

“Moron. I’m trying to fix my gauntlets.” Lizen spoke with an annoyed face as she stood, finally locking the gauntlet into place. “Sorry everyone, but we’ll be taking out leave now. It was fun.” Her face blossomed before the group slowly made their way towards Kalis.

“Please, come back in once piece. Or else, you won’t hear the end of it.” Inkshard grinned as they turned and smiled back at her. “Really… stay safe you three.”

“Haha! So you really do care about us!” Amy teased, immediately receiving an elbow by Lizen.

“I’m sorry about her Inkshard. At least Haiyoto and I are guaranteed to come back.”

“C’mon, let’s not- “

“Shh!” Amy brought a hand in front of Haiyoto’s face and hummed. “Just live the moment! We don’t know what’s ahead, so what’s the point in holding back our thoughts?”

After a brief giggle, she cried: “Thank you so much! If you guys weren’t there for us, we wouldn’t have been here!”

Exrite wanted to respond, but she kept her mouth shut and let the girl continue to thank them from the bottom of her heart. Indeed, she wondered what would’ve happened if they hadn’t joined them on the trip to the Capital.

As the thought stuck to her, a voice suddenly left her lips.

“Good luck out there. If anything happens, you always can count on us.” The words were a manifestation of her pure, unfiltered emotions.

“Thank you, Exrite, Khaos, Frosty – and even Inkshard. Thank you for being there when we couldn’t do anything.” Haiyoto lowered his head and showed nothing but uncontained appreciation towards them.

“Just don’t freeze up while you’re out there.” Frosty teased, folding her arms as she softly smiled. “Stay safe.”

“We will. Talia, Inkshard… thank you for helping us in the beginning.” Lizen spoke with dampened eyes.

“My, it was our pleasure. Please come back soon for dear’s sake. She’ll get lonely without you.”

As much as Inkshard wanted to refute her mother’s claim, she let it go just this one time. After all, there was no knowing what would happen in Fairant when the envoy arrives. Being petty now wasn’t worth it at all with the chance that this may be the last time she’d ever see them – no matter how slim that chance truly was.

“Kalis, please protect them.” Inkshard begged.

“Haha! Clark and the king said the exact same thing!” He roared a mighty laugh. “It’s my duty to defend the will of the king and the wishes of the main priestess. The enemy would have to pierce my valour to touch the kingdom’s precious Heroes.”

The man took pride in his honourable role as a greater white knight. With unwavering confidence, he struck a fist into the air in front of him.

“But be at ease – we’re only expecting an envoy to arrive at Fairant. Our fortresses have yet to report of an army sighting or an airship.” He added.

It was reassuring, especially for Inkshard. But still, she couldn’t help but to worry about them. All of her hope rested on Kalis and the greater white knights to protect them from any danger.

“Goodbye, priestess Talia and Inkshard. And until next time, the companions of the Exrenity.” He turned and stomped through the hallway.

His armour heavily clanked with each step as Haiyoto waved goodbye and followed his lead. Not long after, Amy and Lizen finally broke away from Inkshard’s gaze and quickly caught up to the disappearing men.

And in their absence, entered a deafening silence. Inkshard kept her eyes glued to the empty hallway with mixed emotions. While she wanted them to stay around, she also understood that it was their mission as the Heroes. Above all, she just wanted them to stay safe.

And to continue being carefree.

* * *

After some time, Khaos and Frosty found themselves cleaning the stained plates while Uru diligently dried them. Inkshard had fallen asleep on the couch post dinner while Exrite and Talia were nowhere to be found.

Initially, they wanted to follow them to the ‘garden’ a few floors above. However, Talia politely insisted that they should leave them alone. While they didn’t have any qualms, it just didn’t feel right without Exrite’s presence.

After all, none of them would have gotten this far without her. Apart from Uru, who quietly hummed a song to herself. Her foreign tongue brought about an air of mystery and beauty to the lyrics as the Frostbitten siblings silently listened.

It held a nostalgic rhythm. Khaos failed to recall when or where he heard the song from. When Uru came to the end of the song, he asked her a simple question.

“Where did you hear that song from?”

“Somewhere from my raceland.” She vaguely answered, taking the washed dish away from him and swiftly cleaned it. “Why, is it to your liking?”

“It just sounded familiar. I think our mother used to sing it to us. You might not remember it Frosty cause you were still a baby at the time.” He stated.

“Hmm?” Uru’s eyes sharply dug into the towering man with intrigue. “Your mother sang it? Khaos, are you certain you’re not mistaking this for something else?”

“I have no idea. It just sounded similar.”

“Good. Because if it was the same song, then your mother must’ve travelled through Demora at one stage.”

Frosty’ eyes lit up for a moment, but before she could utter a word, Khaos spoke.

“I don’t know about that. Mom didn’t seem like an adventurous person. Well, not until she- “

“Shut up Khaos. We’re not at the Maiden of Wisdom yet.” Frosty sternly reminded as she sent a powerful elbow into his side.

A pained groan left his mouth as he coughed “Oh, right!” in realisation.

Since the start, they wanted to shove the past away until they met with the Maiden of Wisdom. Unlike Exrite, who planned to grow and fight with it along the way, they sought to eradicate it in one fell swoop.

Ever question, ever suspicion and every lie would finally come to light at that moment. The secret of their race – and the reason behind their abandonment. It was their ultimate goal alongside what the Gods had given them.

Frosty stared at the plate and saw herself in the glossy reflection. Slowly, she opened her mouth and watched her tongue coil from side to side.

The taste was still there. Ever since she killed the bandits, a gruelling aftertaste faintly lingered.

However, there was also another flavour.

A sweet sensation danced on the tip of her tongue.

Without warning, she clamped her jaw like a guillotine and sunk her teeth deeply into her tongue. A vibrant wince distorted her face as she backed away and swung her face to the side. With only a hand cupping her mouth, she swallowed every ounce of blood she could.

The aftertaste was immediately drowned by the taste of iron as relief swelled in her eyes.

“Hey? What happened?”

“Nw thwing” She managed to say, holding a hand out to prevent her brother from approaching. “I’mm gwonna gwet swom sweep nwow.”

“Huh?”

“She’s going to get some sleep. Pinch your nose if you’re bleeding. Although… that shouldn’t be possible for a Frostbitten.” Uru stared at the suspicious Frosty who was already too far away to hear her remark. “Did something happen between you two?”

“If she had a problem with me, she’d make it clear. She’s always like this after a fight.”

“A fight? She wasn’t like that after we fought.”

“I dunno. It’s been like this for a while though. Even before we met with Exrite.” He confessed and passed the last plate to Uru.

Uru didn’t know what to make out of this. While she held some form of concern for Frosty, it wasn’t enough to chase her down. If Khaos wasn’t – then why should she?

“She can see souls, correct?” Uru asked, stacking the polished plate before she sunk her eyes into Khaos’.

“Yeah. It’s her gift as a Frostbitten.” He casually replied. If it was anyone else, there wasn’t a chance he’d reveal it.

But Uru was different – and he already saw her as part of their party.

“… strange. Nothing comes up in my memory of such a thing. She’s like a half-incarnation of death.”

“… please don’t say that in front of her.” Khaos sincerely asked before he pushed himself away from the silver sink. “Anyway, I might go follow Frosty and sleep. Goodnight.” He paced away with large steps, a smile forming on his face as he looked down at the snoring Inkshard.

“Stark opposites.” She could only describe the Frostbitten siblings in such a way.

Where Frosty was beyond distrusting and rash, Khaos was like a humble giant. The duality, as Exrite mentioned, was certainly everywhere in this world.

Smiling at such a simple, yet humorous thing – she shut her eyes and hummed the pleasant song again.

* * *

Exrite fiddled with a heavy apple. With her thumbs, she gently polished its smooth surface. She stared up into the night sky with mellowed eyes, and as she drowned in its dazzling lights, she faintly spoke.

“It really is the same no matter where you are.”

“Indeed. No great distance can ever change the beauty of the night sky.” Talia said from beside her.

They took refuge beneath the shade of the apple tree. An array of giant apples surrounded them and lazily slept, most tilted and others half-sunken into the grass. It didn’t occur to them that at any moment, a perched fruit could come crashing down onto their heads.

The thought was merely a distraction to why they were here. Exrite faintly knew what Talia wanted from her, but she was still hesitant. However, the mature priestess offered her words of comfort that eventually led to a reluctant agreement.

She still held the wry smile from earlier. If there was someone she could trust with her past, it’d be Talia. After all, she already knew of Exrite’s identity. What could possibly go wrong with telling the priestess what was silently gnawing at her?

“You’ll be the first to hear any of this. Not even Khaos or Frosty knows this much about me.” Exrite said, her shoulders relaxing.

Talia wore a surprised face. “My, you’re already eager to get into it?”

“Eager… I wish. I’m still unsure about this. Honestly, this might do more harm than good.” Her face levelled with Talia’s.

“Why didn’t you tell Frosty or Khaos about it?”

Exrite didn’t answer immediately. In the short pause, she stared down at the apple with gentle eyes.

“I didn’t want to be pitied. Nothing’s worse than compassion or friendship born out of pity.” She continued to fidget with the apple.

For now, it was an outlet for her uneasiness. But her soft strokes and brushes were methodical. Briefly, she looked out in the distance and saw the vivid lights of the Capital.

“It just isn’t genuine.”

She imagined the many faces they’ve met along the way. There was a stark difference from the people living in the Enthoric and Katho region. Here, they were free on all fronts.

It was lovely – soothing, for how easy it was for them all to smile here in the kingdom of Truebirth.

“Hm…” Talia stared at the woman for some time.

Just from those words, she realised where Exrite’s bad habit of apologising and claiming she was ‘ok’ came from. With the absence of her old name, came the light of one that would encapsulate everything she aspired to be.

The current her was purely Exrite. However, the encroaching madness ensured that ‘Frost’ wouldn’t ever be forgotten.

It was frustrating.

And while Exrite wordlessly absorbed the beauty of the world, the corners of her mouth lifted into a tiny smile.

“Talia, if I start acting weird, hit me with everything you have. Right here.” She tapped her cheek. “Maybe you’ll knock some sense into me.”

“My, not your stomach?” Talia tilted her head, smiling.

“We just ate. There’d be vomit all over the place.” She quietly chuckled and flipped the apple. “Mm. Hey… can you promise me something?”

“What is it?”

“Please don’t tell anyone about this.”

“My, I never planned to.” She soothingly assured. “I called you here to help you manage it. If I know what the Eye of Despair’s targeting, then maybe we can find a way to prevent it.”

There wasn’t a silver of doubt in Exrite’s mind. If it was Talia, she’d surely find a way. Her wisdom far surpassed her own, and she, along with her daughter, were one of the kindest people she’s ever met.

It could’ve been bias – she admitted. But even so; they had been nothing but helpful and transparent ever since the beginning. And for that, she could only utter:

“Thank you, Talia.”

There were simple words that encapsulated every ounce of appreciation that swelled within the depths of her heart.

“Remind me to treat you to something. I still haven’t forgotten about it.” Exrite added with a soft laugh.

Talia only listened, calmly watching the woman continue to fiddle with the apple. Slowly, Exrite drilled her eyes onto the giant piece of fruit. There was nothing but silence for a minute.

Then, as a quiet breeze brushed past – she finally spoke.

“Talia, everything I say isn’t exaggerated. I remember everything that happened in the last ten years. This won’t be in any order, and if you see me… yeah, you know what to do.”

Without warning, she fell onto the grass. The apple firmly planted itself beside her head as she stared up at the twisted ceiling with a small smile. The grass scrunched in agony to her weight, stabbing into her back with resent.

“I was killed on the day I met with the Maiden of Time. When she shoved the Heart of Time into my chest, everything changed from then on.” She began, a hand slithering onto her lightly exposed stomach. “Immortality – the ability to never die or mentally break plagued everyone with envy. Over time, the friends and family I once knew became distant and cold. My own home morphed into a prison.”

She held her smile, for she was only scratching the surface.

“I was dumb and naïve at the time – just a kid with no real goal or ideal. I didn’t know better. My- no, that kingdom was known for the various consumables and effective weaponry at the time. Development apparently spiked in the last ten years.” Her voice nearly sang as a silent breeze swept by.

Talia’s heart sank. Indeed, in the last decade weapons traded from Enthile had vastly improved, as well as consumables. There was a time when healing potions and poison cures were so insignificant, that villages or small settlements required a dedicated healer or a proficient mage to thrive.

“If I couldn’t be controlled, then what use was I to them other than being a human pincushion? The surrounding kings were nothing but false hope. I thought I would be saved, but again and again I’d fall for the same trap…” Spite finally left her lips, a faint heat radiating from her crimson eye.

“Perpetual suffering is the only way to describe the hellish decade in those cells. But nothing was quite like my ‘home’ in Enthile. For a place that used to mean everything to me – it became a place of nothing but dread.” Her teeth suddenly clamped shut as she dug her fingers into the razor-sharp grass.

“Everything you can think of happened in those cells. I was never allowed to break, respite came in the form of death. Over and over, I was reduced to flesh, ashes, bones, and if I was lucky – I got to keep my head… shit… “

Strands of grass fell from the hand she brought to her face as she tried to hide her eyes. A silent tremor ran through her body as she tried to hold on for as long as she could.

“Ah… no, I’m sorry for being so pathetic… O-on the bright side- “ Exrite suddenly paused.

The words wouldn’t leave her mouth. There was no bright side. It was only an excuse to justify the past. She wholeheartedly knew that the past couldn’t be justified. Her father allowed her to suffer, and her mother and sisters disappeared on that day.

“… experience… that’s the fucked bright side…” She tried to laugh at herself but choked towards the end as a stream of tears fell from the side of her face. “Shit… damnit. Fuck!”

A fist slammed onto the grass beside her. She cursed with every repeated strike as Talia watched with sullen eyes.

The priestess didn’t intervene. It was better for her to simply watch and let Exrite vent her pent frustrations with everything she had. Before long, Exrite grew tired of her monotonous fit and suddenly trembled in a hoarse chuckle.

“Sorry. At least the Eye didn’t throw me into insanity… it’s like it has a mind of its own.” She muttered, harshly ridding her face of the tears. “I’ll stay like this for a while longer, Talia. They’ll get worried if they see my face.”

The heat in her eye disappeared entirely. Talia hummed and inched closer to the lying Maiden and gently cupped her hand.

It was warm.

“I won’t leave, Exrite. Even if you fall asleep here, I’ll stay by your side.” She whispered in a motherly voice, her eyes swollen with sincerity and concern.

It made Exrite chuckle. Talia felt more of a mother than her own. Not that she disliked it. In fact, she felt the tears forming in the corners of her eyes again. Desperate to keep herself contained, she turned to her side and stared up at Talia with nothing but thanks.

“Thanks… Inkshard’s lucky to have you as a mom. Don’t tell her I said that though.” She playfully hummed as Talia removed her hand away.

“My, is it fine to be joking so soon?” While she was flattered, she was more concerned about Exrite. “Please rest. I’ll be here, watching over you.” She silently stood, the grass singing in her departure towards the edge of the garden.

Exrite stared at the priestess’ silhouette for a short while. Slowly, she shut her eyes and turned to face the apple. Before she could drift off, a hand found itself on top of the ruby fruit.

She patted it with a faint grin.

It was liberating for her, to have the past ridden from her chest without the repercussions of the Eye. It was strange, but she didn’t want to question its mechanics. Left alone in the calm breezes of the night, she thought of her friends and the cherished memories she’s made ever since they met with the Gods.

No matter how much her past couldn’t be justified, it wasn’t that she found a silver lining in it. After all, if it never happened, she wouldn’t have met with them all.

Perhaps she’d have to return to Enthile and settle things once and for all.

It was only a thought.

And as she drifted away with the image of her closest friends, the grass finally accepted her warmth and cushioned her. Whilst in the darkness behind her eyelids, she eagerly awaited the prospects of tomorrow.

However – she didn’t realise that she’d awaken much later.